Arch support



Aug; 2%, 1923 D. P. SMITH ARCH SUPPORT Filed June 2'7. 1922 I INVENTOR.

fiaw'd fl/nth ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 28, 1923.

DAVID I. SMITH, OF MERIDEN CON'NECTICU'I.

ARCH SUPPORT.

Application filed June 27. 1922. Seriai No. 571,274.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DA-VID P. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Meriden, county of New Haven, and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Arch Supports, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to foot cushions and supports adapted to be worn inside of a boot'or shoe and more particularly to an improved form of combined insole and arch support. I

One object of the invention is to provide a combination insole having fiat end sections and an intermediate raised section adapted to yield readily under the pressure of the foot.

A further object is to, provide a device of this sort having a resilient arch-supporting pad under the raised intermediate portion,

said pad being unconfined and free to conview of another mo tract and expand, thus assisting the natural movements of the arch of the foot.

A further object is to provide a combined insole and arch support which will be simple, self-adjusting, cheaply manufactured so that it may be sold at a low price, easy to insert in the boot or shoe, and efiicient and durable in use.

With these and other objects in View, there have been illustrated on the accompanying drawings several forms in which the invention may be conveniently embodied in practice.

Fig. 1 represents a bottom view of one form of combined insole and arch support embodying the invention.

F i 2 is a side sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig: 3 .is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 33 of F ig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows. i Fig. 4 is a side sectional view of a modified form of arch support, also embodying the invention.

" Fig. 5 is an enlar ed transverse sectional ified form of arch sup port. I

Referring now to the drawingsin which like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views, the

numeral 10 represents an insole preferably by cementing or stitching or both. The pad 14 preferably consists of homogeneous resilient cushioning material such as elastic cellular sponge .rubber. In order to protect the edges of the pad 14, and prevent them.

from rolling up when the pad is inserted in the boot or shoe, a pair of spaced oppositely disposed supporting strips 15 and 16 are secured to the pad and to-the insole 10. These supporting strips are preferably formed from adhesive plaster or other strong material such .as sheet rubber, etc., and are cemented to the edges of the pad and insole 10. These strips 15 and 16 are curved to conform to the semicircular edge of the pad 14, and also converge slightly from their ends to the center as clearly shown in Fig. 1. Each strip should preferably have about half its width secured to the insole, and the other half to the sponge rubber. While the insole 10 is herein illustrated with a raised intermediate section 13, the insole 10 may be made entirely flat if desired, within the spirit of the invention.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, the rubber pad is uncovered except at its edges where it is held by the adhesive strips 15 and 16. The pad 14 may, however, be covered if desired, and such a construction isillustrated in Fig. 4 where the adhesive strips are omitted and the bottom of the insole 10 and the pad 14 are covered completely or impart with a .strip 17 of elastic fabric such as that emthe adhesive strips and bottom" covering 15,

16, and 17 if desired, the rubber pad being held in place by cement only.

' The insole must be made somewhat shorter than the length of the insideof the shoe so as to permit it to lengthen freely when the arch portion 1 3 is flattened by the weight of the foot. Moreover, the inner border of the insole should preferably be cut straight as shown in Fig. 1, so as to fit the straight part of the upper on the inside of the shoe, when raised above the curved sole by the pad 14. Before inserting the device in the boot or shoe, talcum powder may be applied to the underside of the arch support and to the sole in order to insure the proper positioning of the device under the arch, and to prevent the sponge rubber from catching on the sole.

In the modified form of arch support shown in Fig. 5, a pad 18 of sponge rubber has a thin tapered flange 19 of sheet rubber incorporated on substantially three sides of its periphery. The flange 19 may be omitted at the lateral ortion of the pad, if desired, and only emp oyed on the front and rear edges thereof. The flange 19 is adapted to be cemented to the bottom of the insole, and if desired, may have a reinforcing strip 20 of canvas or other suitable material embedded in its interior, so as to permit the pad to be stitched as well as cemented to the insole. The reinforcing Strip 20 extends centrally into the rubber sponge 18, to a distance about equal tothe width of the flange.

In the use of the device, the pad of sponge rubber will produce a yielding and cushioning support for the longitudinal arch of the foot, and will give relief to persons having weak or fallen arches without danger of injuring the delicate bones, muscles, and tendons of the arch. Under the weight of the foot, the resilient pad will give freely, and the pressure on the muscles and tendons of the sole will be comparatively slight. lit will thus be seen that the muscles and tendons, which are at this moment contracting and tightening, like the strings of a bow,

cannot possibly be injured with the present arch support. As the foot is raised, the freely expanding pad with a gentle pressure of two to eight pounds, depending on its thickness and consistency, will assist the complete return of the arch to its normal position.

At the same time, the pad will push the entire foot away from the sole of the shoe, and allow the blood to circulate freely in the weight-bearing portions of the sole. The weight will thus be borne where nature intended it to be borne, i. e, on theheel, ball,

and outer border of the foot, and not onthe arch. The free skin circulation in thefoot which is thus promoted will assist in the prevention and cure of callouses and corns which, as is well known, are formed from thick bloodless skin produced for the purpose of protecting parts of the foot which are kept continuously bloodless due to pressure.

Architecturally, an arch consists of an up-; ward curving keystone section and two weight-bearing end sections or'haunches. In order for the arch to be flexible and capable Leeaeee of being easily depressed and flattened, the haunches must be allowed to readily separate in a. horizontal direct-ion. Inthe present invention, the sections 15 and 16 of the insole, at the. front and rear borders of the pad 14, form the haunches of the arch 13. These sections 15 and 16 are not joined by any inelastic or inextensible material, as in previous forms of arch supports employing nonmetallic cushions, but are merely connected by the'pad 14 which stretches readily in a longitudinal direction. The haunch sections 15 and 16 will thus be permitted to separate easily when the intermediate section 13 is depressed.

One advantage of this invention is that the arch support will produce somewhat the same effect upon the foot as bare-foot walking in the sand which is a measure highly recommended by orthopedic specialists for the cure of fallen arches.

A further. advantage of this invention is that the pad on the base of the insole is uncovered and unconfined, and is therefore capable of rapid expansion due to the free access of air to the interstices of the sponge.

This effect may be further increased if desired by punching a few small holes in the upper of the shoe adjacent the position of the sponge pad, where they will be inconspicuous.

A further advantage achieved by this invention is that the surface of the uncovered pad may be trimmed ofl whenever desired, as for example, to fit it to the, arch of the foot, and to conform to differently arched soles in the various makes of shoes.

Another advantage is that the alternate expansion and compression of the sponge will cause the air in the foot to ventilate it and help to keep it dry.

A. further advantage is that the insole may be made to extend nearly the full length of the shoe, thereby preventing the arch supporting pad from slipping forward or back out of its proper position.

It will thus be seen that an inexpensive form of arch support has been provided which will be in excellent prophylactic against fallen arches, and may be worn by adults and children with normal arches without the danger of injuring or weakening them which is present when foot cushions having rigid or metallic supports are employed.

While there have been disclosed in this specification, several forms in which the invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that these forms are shown for the purpose of illustration only, and that the invention is not to be limited to the specific disclosures, but may be modified and emtion includes all the modifications and embodiments coming within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new, and for which it is desired to secure Letters Patent, is: v

1. In a foot support adapted to be worn inside of a boot or shoe, an insole, an uncovered semicircular pad of sponge rubber cemented to the underface of said insole at the longitudinal arch, and an attaching strip secured to said pad and insole for holding said pad more firmly in position.

2. In a foot support adapted to be worn inside of a boot or shoe, an insole of leather having fiat ends and a raised intermediate section molded to correspond with the shape of the longitudinal arch of the foot, an unconfined wedge-shaped pad of sponge rubber cemented to the underface of said arch, and means for firmly holding the thin edges of said sponge rubber pad Irom curling and sticking to the bottom of the shoe.

3. In a foot support adapted to be worn inside of a boot or shoe, a leather insole having substantially flat heel and fore-part sections shaped to conform to the outline of the bottom of the foot, an arched intermediate section having on its under surface a wedge-shaped pad of homogeneous elastic cellular material for resiliently supporting the thin arch, means for securing said pad to said insole, and means for preventing the edges of said pad from curling.

4. In a foot support adapted to be worn inside of a boot or shoe, an insole, and an arch-supporting pad secured to the underface of said insole, said pad being constructed from a mass of sponge rubber having a solid rubber flange incorporated in its periphery.

5. In a foot support adapted to be worn inside of a boot or shoe, an insole, and an arch-supporting pad secured to the underface of said insole, said pad being constructed from a mass of sponge rubber having a solid rubber flange incorporated in its periphery, said flange having a reinforcing strip of fibrous material embedded in its interior.

6. In a foot support'adapted to be worn inside of a boot or shoe, an insole, and an arch-supporting pad secured to the underface of said insole, said pad being constructed from a mass of sponge rubber having a solid rubber flange incorporated in its periphery, said flange having a reinforcing strip of fibrous material embedded in its interior, said reinforcing strip extending centrally into said sponge rubber beyond the edge of said flange.

7. In a foot support adapted to be worn inside of a boot or shoe, an insole, and an arch-supporting. pad secured to the underface of said insole, said pad being constructed from-a mass of sponge rubber having a solid rubber flange incorporated in its periphery, said flange having a reinforcing strip of fibrous material embedded in its interior, said reinforcing strip extending centrally into said sponge rubber beyond the edge of said flange to a distance about equal to the width of said flange.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature to this specification.

DAVID P. SMITH. 

